Friday, November 09, 2007

4. Cara has used paint, collage, written text in gold that reads: "It's not some impossible task I must struggle to complete...but something profoundly simple poised on the other side of a question that I can't quite answer. I don't even remember the words of the question...just the imprint it left behind ... it resonates differently now." The two images are of the sun on the left page, and a low angle shot of a cow beneath the Eiffel Tower.

Aren't these fascinating?

5. The next entry is by Cath, created in paint with her text:

If my art doesn't reflect me,

If I can't see my own hand in my art,

Then whose art is it really?

I have to ask myself -

Does it come from within me?

Does it reflect my soul and my passion?

Or have I copied the latest trends,

Played with the latest products,

Mimicked someone whose work I admire,

But lost my own voice in the process?

Can I see my hand in these pages...

Cath creates wonderful abstract images, and I don't believe her work is ever anything but original!

6. Created by Amanda, this collage work is full of interesting images. She has used a variety of art papers, vintage wallpaper (in which she wrapped the parcel for it's return journey),paper dress pattern, vintage advertisements, and the main text reads "Creating the perfect woman".

I think it is amazing how all the entries link together, create narrative, and yet each is so different.

More than a year ago six journals set off travelling around New Zealand to six artists who were to complete a double page spread and send each one on to the next artist. The project turned out to be more of an undertaking than some of us expected, and some journals were lost for a time. Mine arrived home yesterday...what a thrill! One journal is still lost and I hope that it one day returns to it's owner - Amanda.A group of us worked in a journal for one artist initially, and by the time each of us had created at least two pages of artwork in it, the journal really was a thing of beauty. Some of us enjoyed it so much we decided to repeat the process with each of us having a journal. 2006 was a pretty tough year for some and yet beautiful work was created and I'm sharing pages from my journal here. It will take two postings as blogger only permits 5 pictures per posting. These three are:

1. My own pages that I started the journal with: "Woman under construction is the text in the portrait, around the edge is a quote from Carmen ('Harbanera') which, in English, translates to: Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame and it's all in vain to call it if it chooses to refuse. Nothing helps, not threats nor prayers. One man is smooth tongued, another silent and he's the one that I prefer. He says nothing but he pleases me." The printed page is from a very old book ..." Edith opened her window to see if there was any hope in the distance; but the mist was full, and the world ended at the first terrace. She dressed, putting on her oldest skirt, for she knew there would be walking that day, went down shivering as she touched the damp woodwork, looked out of the dining room window. The clump of monk's-hood had not been disturbed; the spikes of bloom nodded reassuringly. It was strange, thought Edith, that so much beauty should arise from the roots of a deadly poison. She was calm and strong again; and as she stood at the window, an idea occurred, she could..."

Make of it what you will!

The orange pages with deadly looking flowers was from Ali:2. The text reads "but Edith, isn't it odd that so much poison should arise from the root of such beauty. There are layers of art paper beneath paint glazes, and beautifully delicate text among and around the painted flowers and foliage.The next spread after Ali's is from Denise:

3. Created in, I think, paint, collage, ink and the text reads:Truth not seenTruth not spokeUnder roofOr outNo sweet poison fruitto living deathcondemnedbut bitter poisonsprung inlabyrinthe heartstook as mother's milkin broken hopealonetruth not seentruth not spokeunder roof or outAnd the words" Open your Eyes" and "it's just a fairytale".

About Me

Artist in mixed media, painting, drawing, collage and photography. My drawings and photography are often a beginning point in my artwork and I’ve explored the shapes from these images in painting, in textural layers on canvas or paper, working in acrylics and mixed media. Much of my work has been figurative based on life drawings, but I also create abstract works.
Author of non-fiction books.
Editor/proofreader.
Bachelor of Arts (English, Writing, History).Graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching . Advanced Diploma in Art & Creativity - http://bit.ly/1zkAYj5

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... the contemplation of the form of the model, a fellow human being, may be compared to an act of humility in which the artist temporarily forgets his or her physical frailties and imperfections and marvels at the diversity possible within the human form.

"Mine and body"

Acrylic on canvas 36" x 24" - there is much mythology about the earth, the land as earth mother, and this painting is a visual metaphor for how I feel about mining - the land as the body, the earth mother, and the layers of the land, vulnerable, scarred, powerless.

Mixed Media

Defining Beauty

Paper Collage

Red Nude

Mixed Media drawing

Waiting 2

Acryic on Canvas 10" x 30"

Waiting 1

Acrylic on Canvas 10" x 30"

Chain Reaction

This the first of a new series.

Submission

Acrylic on Canvas, 15" x 30"

Extracts from Trapped Self

Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 36" Painted on a winter's day, feeling the aching cold I attacked this canvas which did create some heat, it glows from her body.

"Then how shall we track your journey"

Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36" In this image I thought of the machinery removing the gold and silver from below the ground, and mythology about the Greek god Hades. Hades was the god of wealth, he owned all of the precious gems and minerals that lay below the surface of the earth.

"Soul and mine illuminate"

Acrylic on canvas, 36" x 24" - the colours of the exposed earth are different depending on the time of day, the light and the viewpoint. There is now a walkway around much of the perimeter of the open cast gold mine operating here in New Zealand.

Warm Winter

This is based on my photograph of the sunset at Waitete Bay and incorporating figures taken from a life drawing class - last year one of the models brought her husband along to pose as well. The title comes from a Kid Rock song that made me think about the myth of Persephone who was taken down into the dark depths of the underworld by Hades, God of the Underworld. Acrylic media on canvas 32 x 39 inches.